This is a discussion on More LAG when live? within the online poker forums, in the Tournament Poker section; Today I was playing live and a kid I met said he's usually TAG, but because you get so many less hands its better to ...

Today I was playing live and a kid I met said he's usually TAG, but because you get so many less hands its better to widen your range a bit when playing live. Is this right?
For reference its a deepstack turbo so 15min blinds (~10hands/level) and 10k stack. Should I be lagging up a little or stick to my ranges I use online?

#2

31st July 2011, 2:49 AM

c9h13no3 [7,683]

Since the blinds rise so fast, you gotta get busy pretty quickly. Additionally, the players are pretty bad, so you can probably get away with playing a few more hands.

The trick is that any time you add weaker hands to your range, those hands are going to put you in the biggest spots to screw up. So while I agree, you should be playing more hands, your skill level needs to be high enough to avoid the new trickier spots you'll be put in.

#3

1st August 2011, 12:34 PM

jbbb [1,384]

Game: NLHE, PLO

Quote:

Originally Posted by c9h13no3

Since the blinds rise so fast, you gotta get busy pretty quickly. Additionally, the players are pretty bad, so you can probably get away with playing a few more hands.

The trick is that any time you add weaker hands to your range, those hands are going to put you in the biggest spots to screw up. So while I agree, you should be playing more hands, your skill level needs to be high enough to avoid the new trickier spots you'll be put in.

Thanks for the reply. Only way to learn it to give it a bash I suppose, however you would advocate adding lower SC's first (76s, 89s etc) or higher SG's (QTs) which can flop better but are more likely to be called by hands that dominate you?
^^On that topic though, the amount of people I saw playing Kx (x<9) etc probably means adding broadways to my range in earlier position isnt gonna be -EV as its highly likely they'll call with worse.

#4

1st August 2011, 3:36 PM

dj11 [19,244]

Poker at: WPN

Game: Horse.

I am not a great live player, but since you seem to want to open up your game some, I might suggest that you don't change your opening requirements as much as maybe shift your opening requirements 1 seat to the left or is it right?. Meaning; from the (example) hijack seat, you play hands that you would play from the cutoff.

If you would open a pot with a bet holding 89s from the cutoff, do it from the hijack position. Don't all of a sudden start playing hands that you would not normally open with, but play the hands you feel comfortable playing, from a new position.

Just and idea........

15 min blinds live is a very very fast structure. Counter may be that you have to shift that positional thinking 2 seats. Extreme caution tho, this will get you into sticky spots much more often.

#5

1st August 2011, 7:44 PM

genleemb [170]

Online Poker at: no fav now

Game: Omaha8

The shifting opening hand ranges one or two positions is pretty good advice.

I usually do not do anything different live for the first betting level. Use that time to observe and get a feel for the game of others. Not much worth fighting for at level 1. I know there is nothing revolutionsary by what I am saying here, but you'll pretty much find the LAGs in as little time as one orbit.

Stereotype in the first orbit. Is the kid in the baseball cap loose? Is Granny tight? Is gangsta boy with all his bling splashing a lot of pots?

Lay low while its cheap ...observe ... adjust accordingly.

#6

3rd August 2011, 3:06 AM

c9h13no3 [7,683]

re: Poker & More LAG when live?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbbb

you would advocate adding lower SC's first (76s, 89s etc) or higher SG's (QTs) which can flop better but are more likely to be called by hands that dominate you?

It depends on how deep stacks are, what kind of opponent you're against. But I'd almost rather have QTs than 76s everyday of the week.

#7

4th August 2011, 3:29 PM

MidyMat [247]

Game: RAZZ/HORSE

It really depends on your opponents and how much chips you have. It is OK to widen your range a little, but not at first. You should get use to the pace and players and then start opening your range when in late position. I play a wide range at my home game because I know the players real well. When I go to a poker room I only start playing out of my range after a couple hours and only when I have the players at the table pegged.